Saturday, January 09, 2010

No! Not Goof Off!

Our brand new candy apple red metallic high efficiency washer and dryer sat in the garage this sub-freezing morning while the installation technicians readied them for the laundry room. It was so frigid that the packing tape adhered like cement to the front loading doors on each and I distinctly heard my husband inquire, “Will Goof Off take it off?” Then I distinctly heard the technician reply, “No, don’t use Goof Off cuz it’ll leave a film on the glass that won’t come off. When they (the machines) warm up inside, just use your fingers to scrape it off.” Alrighty then.

One hour later.

Yoga mat under my arm, I pass the laundry room heading into the garage, on my way to a Body Flow class (Yoga slash Pilates slash Tai Chi) but I caught a glimpse of something to my right that forced me to stop dead in my tracks. Husband, looking seriously contemplative, was standing in front of the machines. He was fidgeting with a few things, in random order – a Scotch pad, several wadded up paper towels and rags, Windex and

GOOF OFF?

No. Disbelief.

Is he flipping out of his mind?!?

I took one step backwards and saw the damage.

My first thought was we're all very fortunatethatI’m in a you-can’t-ruffle-my-feathers frame of mind. Otherwise, I would have shot straight up through the roof and exploded in space.

The only words I could muster before I slammed the door behind me were, “You’d better order a new door for that machine and have someone install it because I don’t want you to ever touch it again…blah blah blah…”

Nice, huh?

I let it go. Everyone is entitled to experience a brain fart now and then.

Letting it go is new to me.

In Body Flow class, there’s an overly enthusiastic, know-it-all perky young blonde with slender limbs who can contort her body like no other. I’ll even stop my balancing act to watch her perform. It doesn’t matter that I stop because I can't maintain my balance anyway. During the balancing track I can look around to see what I can’t do. Hey, but that’s OK. I let it go.

The perky gal had the audacity to ask the teacher, “Why don’t we do inversions?” Yes, she meant as in standing on your head and I almost choked. The teacher reminded her that the class is for everyone and not everyone can stand or should stand on their heads. Oh, I wanted to be bold enough to laugh out loud; however, I let it go, but I would love to fake leaning into her and watch her topple over during her Sun Warrior pose. Yeah!

I replied to an invitation to come to a Body Pump class (intense exercise with weights), “When I can bend over without grunting and kiss my knees again, I’ll join you in Body Pump.” And that’s the way it is.

I need a new figure.

Getting fit is hard work and I’m not too good at folding myself into a pretzel shape. My middle region gets in the way.

24 comments:

I would have laughed at that twit, Mary. Nice and LOUD, that laugh would have been. What fun it would be to take a class like that with you....And how did you get so close to those Hoodies? Huh? All of my Hoodie pics are little black and white/brown dots over the water. You rock, lady.

I lllove this post! Letting it go is so wise. On the other hand, you don't buy a $1500 pair of appliances and watch them get mutilated without letting off a little steam. THEN you let it go. Crimony! On the other, other hand, I think I may have an insight into your husband's actions that you might not have thought of. This doesn't put me in the best of lights, but...I love Goof-Off. I search for things to clean with Goof-Off. I've never gotten high on Goof-Off because Dave keeps me under close supervision.

Oh Mary--what you need is GOO GONE, not Goof Off. That's for painting mistakes. Goo gone works on anything sticky, and then wipes off.Oh dear--some folk can't leave well enough alone. Sounds like you have a "fix it so it's really broke" kind of guy.Love your description of far too limber young blond thangs--I just stay away from them at all costs.

Jeesh!! I'm reading your post, loving it, identifying with it and totally understanding you better fix the door moment..when it occurs to me that Goof Off is the American version of Goo Gone, the Canadian anti adhesive, and my mind, late at night after attending a Stag and Doe (do you have those too?)starts to wonder why "they" (ad people) insist on different names, when it's not that big a deal. Awww, go'on! Then, KGMom beat me to the punch line! Great post Mary!left me partially unstuck.

And if you don't have Goo Gone try WD40(which most everyone has). I use it quite a bit and it leaves an oily finish that can easily be cleaned off. Being a painter I've used it on many windows in other peoples homes. Not to mention it gets gum out of hair, stickers off mirror, etc.

I like the color, if that means anything at this point. The washer and dryer match your new car! LOL! You must be on a red kick. I love red!

The birds are just being ornary. They'll get over it once it warms up. Speaking of such, it's 2 degrees here this morning. Stay warm!

We use Goo Gone, too Mary, and I'd never heard of Goof Off until now!I almost wonder if Goo Gone might clean up the mess that you're not too happy about.I love the color of the appliances, too! I've seen the little candy apple red vacuum cleaners--they almost make it look as if cleaning would be like taking a ride in a little sportscar. Well, almost.

Oh God, girl, you are so good when one needs a 'total body' laugh!!!! ROFL I do admire you in your persistence with the pretzel shapes...a friend is into that and I've tried a few of those poses...let's just say I'm not as flexible as I once was! :/ :)Your photos of those cardinals make me green with envy!!!!! My computer are blitzing---have been for a month or more---not that I have any bird shots worthy of blog-sharing---I too am back into trying to practice 'just let it go'. *sigh* Seriously, tho, you are just adorable, and your posts always lighten my heart.

Oh, Mary! LOVE the new washer and dryer, how pretty!!! Husbands!!! Don't they have ways of driving us nuts! If they only listened to US things would run smoothly! LOLLove your post, you are just too funny!Have a wonderful day....stay warm!hugs to you....Jane and Gilly

Another huge Goo Gone fan weighing in. It would've been just the thing. Made with orange peel oil, I haven't seen it damage a thing yet, but it takes stickum off like nobody's business. I'd never heard of Goof Off either but it sounds like you'd better spray your whole laundry room with it.

When my Subaru needed its very first washing, being a matter of days old, I let the kids do it. Looked up and saw the hose nozzle being dragged across the back gate. GIANT scratch running from one side of the car to the other. We're talking a yard-long deep scratch down to metal. Repeated to myself, "It's just a thing. It's not a person. It's just a thing. It's not a person." Scratch is now rusting. Oh so nice. Hmm. Better repeat the mantra again.

These things tend to happen within hours or days of the purchase of a highly prized new possession. It's kind of the way our families break them in for us, remind us not to get too fussy about our new toys.

Love your new washer and dryer! A pair like that, and I would be getting clothes dirty just so I could do laundry:)

Good for you for learning to let go, Mary; it's something I've been working on for many years...and still working on. The photo of the backside of the duck has me wondering--is this what I look like to passersby as I'm gardening??

Oh, and do lean into that perky little blonde when you get the chance:)

Oh Mary, your washer door!! I just had to gasp when I got to that photo. Not sure how I would have handled that, but I'm definitely thinking you're a much better woman than I am!Those mergansers are beautiful and how nice to see water without ice in it! :-)

I found your post by searching "remove Goof Off film from glass," and in case anyone else gets here the same way, I have a solution to try. I used Goof Off to remove some very, very old masking tape from frame glass. Worked like a charm, but left a cloudy film. I poured a little olive oil onto a rag and applied to to the glass in circles, trying to work it in. I then sprayed on a vinegar/water mix (or you could use Windex) to wipe off the olive oil. Film is gone! Worked for me, may be worth a shot for someone else.